


Tough Questions

by Sev1970 (mk_malfoy)



Series: Severus Finds Love Series [8]
Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-07
Updated: 2007-07-07
Packaged: 2017-10-04 05:04:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mk_malfoy/pseuds/Sev1970
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus's son asks a difficult question. How does Severus answer it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tough Questions

**Title**: Tough Questions (Fic VIII of my 'Severus Finds Love' Series)  
**Author**: [](http://sev1970.livejournal.com/profile)[**sev1970**](http://sev1970.livejournal.com/)  
**Pairing**: SS/HG, OMC (their son Ronnie)  
**Rating**: PG-13  
**Date Written**: July 07, 2007  
**Summary**: Severus's son asks a difficult question. How does Severus answer it?  
**Warnings**:  
**Words**: 1,274  
**Disclaimer**: I own nothing HP -- that would be JK Rowling, Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Inc., Warner Bros., and any other entities involved.  
**A/N**: Thanks so much to [](http://magdelena1969.livejournal.com/profile)[**magdelena1969**](http://magdelena1969.livejournal.com/) for beta'ing this for me, and thank you so much for all the ideas you have given me for future fics in the series.

~*~

"Hi, Dad, may I come in?"

"Certainly. You seem troubled. Might I enquire as to why that is?" Severus set down the parchment he had just picked up and walked over to the sofa where he sat down, worry written on his face as he looked into the fearful expression on his son's face. It was rare that Ronnie seemed so pensive, a trait more easily identifiable with his younger son, Harry.

"Cedric and I, we were looking through some of his mum's old school things, and he found some papers. They were about you. Dad, erm did you kill Draco Malfoy?"

Sheer terror the likes of which Severus had not known in years ran through him; there was not enough time in the world that would have adequately prepared him for this question. For almost seven years, he, Hermione, Ronnie and Harry had lived a peaceful existence, and Severus had settled into his new life with vigor he hadn't known he'd possessed. He had not forgotten anything from his past, because that was impossible, but he had tried to make retribution for his mistakes by the way he raised his two children. He had known there would be questions from his sons, and…well, now here they were.

"Sit down, Ronnie." When his son was seated next to him, Severus briefly looked away before beginning. He couldn't tell the complete story because eleven years old was not old enough for that…actually no age would be old enough, but there would come a time when the entire truth would come out…just not now.

"Yes, I did kill him, Ronnie, but it was only because he had ingested a poison that was slowly killing him. He was dying, and it was not something that was pleasant to watch. I did what I thought was merciful." Severus left out the reasons the poison had been ingested, as well as what had happened afterwards because neither was something his son needed to hear at this time. Severus had almost died as a result of killing Draco because of the vow he had taken with Narcissa, but in the end he had lived because no matter what it seemed, he had kept the vow by saving Draco in the end. As Dumbledore had said on more than a few occasions, there were worse things than death.

"But you went to prison for it. Surely they knew why you did it, yeah?"

Closing his eyes and reopening them, trying to rein in his emotions, Severus nodded. "Ronnie, I went to prison, yes, but it was not for the death of Draco Malfoy. It is complicated, and I am not prepared to discuss this with you at this time, but I will tell you this. When I was younger, I made many mistakes, many horrific ones. I made bad choices, Ronnie. Then I realised what I had done and tried to make things right. I did, but my past was always nearby. I then did something that most people never forgave me for, and for that, I was sentenced to prison. I eventually turned myself in and took the punishment given me because it was the correct thing to do. I am not proud of what I did to be sent to Azkaban, but I did it because I had taken an oath. I assure you that both you and Harry will be told everything when the time is right." Devastated was too light a word to describe Severus's mood now. His sons had thought him perfect. Now he had shattered that illusion in his eldest.

"Miss Cho told me you were good, Dad. She said that no matter what anyone said, for me not to listen to them. She said if my Daddy was okay with you, then she was, too."

Ronnie had been so young when Harry and Ron died, but Severus knew Ronnie had been old enough to remember both, and he heard the adoration and wistfulness in the little boy's voice when mentioning his daddy. It seemed that even though Severus had never cared for Potter much, two little boys had -- two little boys who were now Severus's sons. He would make sure they never forgot Harry or Ron.

"Miss Cho and your Dad were very good friends. It means quite a lot to me that she would tell you what she did."

"Does she know what happened?"

"Some of it she does." Severus was trying to keep it together, but this was so much more difficult than he had imagined it would be.

"Don't be sad, Dad. It's okay. I love you."

Severus smiled. Hermione had said something similar years earlier. Looking directly at his son, he nodded and tried smiling. "Thank you for saying that, Ronnie. I love you, too. I would ask that you not say anything to Harry. I'd like to wait until he is about to enter Hogwarts before I tell him any of this."

"Dad, I'd never tell him."

Severus stood and walked towards his desk, but turned back to his son. "Ronnie, don't grow up too quickly. These should be carefree years for you." A touch of sadness coated his voice and expression. He had just saddled his son with sobering news; he had shattered his little boy's innocence.

"Yes, sir."

Severus watched as the young boy left, and then he sat down behind his desk and stared at the door. He only diverted his gaze when his wife entered the darkening room a considerable amount of time later.

"What are you thinking about, Severus? You look unsettled."

Severus found he had no voice. How could he tell Hermione that life as they had known it had changed? Shaking his head, he stood, approached Hermione, and kissed her. Oh how he loved her. Pulling back, he led her to the sofa. "It seems that Ronnie and Cedric found some of Cho's old school things, things which mentioned me."

"Oh no. What did they find?"

"I wish I knew. For all I know, our son now knows everything, or at least everything that has been documented. He asked me about Draco and going to prison."

"Oh dear."

"Yes, oh dear, indeed. I told him exactly what you and I decided to tell the boys when the time came. He seemed to take what I told him well enough, and just as you said he would, he assured me that I was good and that he loved me. He also said Cho defended me. Apparently, she said that if Harry said I was good, than I was. I doubt Harry ever said I was good, but, I guess that is neither here nor there. Are they in bed yet?"

"Yes. I read to them. Harry seemed upset that it was me rather than you, but I told them you read to them every night and I wanted to do it tonight."

Severus smiled. He loved being a dad. "I love you."

"You do, don't you? Even after all these years, it simply amazes me that the two of us ended up married. You exasperated me to no end in school."

"Yes, well, you and your Little-Miss-Know-It-All persona didn't exactly endear herself to me, either. I daresay that little girl grew up, just as this crotchety old man did."

"Yes, and you are an old man, but you do manage to get excited on a regular basis. Strange that."

Severus smirked at his smiling wife. "Being married to a much younger witch has its advantages. Seeing such a beautifully sculpted body with such voluminous curves does things to a man, young or old."

"Does it now? Well then, I think I want to see these things it does to you."

"Lead the way, Mrs Granger-Snape."

The End

  



End file.
